Caskets have traditionally been employed for burial of the dead. Often the casket is secured in a vault prior to burial. A vault lowering device, also referred to as a vault jack, typically has two pairs of corner posts and a rotating shaft which connects each pair of corner posts on the shorter of the vault sides. Each of the rotating shafts include a pair of cable spools. A cable is run from each cable spool on one end of the vault, under the vault, and is connected to a respective cable spool on the other end rotating shaft. At least two of the corner posts are also connected by a rotating shaft along the longer side of the vault. At least one of these corner posts accepts a removable handle which, when rotated, imparts rotation to the longer shaft and the two end rotating shafts and the cable spools, thereby raising or lowering the vault.
This conventional process of raising or lowering the vault requires a great deal of force to rotate the handle and raise the vault. The process can be time consuming and physically taxing on the individuals responsible for operation of the vault lowering device. Additionally, as vaults are lowered into a grave, the handle may be removed in some cases and the vault is permitted to descend downwardly in an uncontrolled manner rather than hand-cranking the vault lowering device, potentially causing damage to the vault or casket and/or potentially causing emotional stress for any family members who may remain at the graveside.